Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – NJIT prevailed in the back-and-forth, consolation game of the Hilton Garden Classic on Wednesday night, defeating Central Connecticut State 69-66 in Cassell Colisuem.
Taiwo Oyelola led the Highlanders with 14 points, while her sister Kehinde Oyelola added 13 in the victory. Gabrielle Oglesby tallied 14 points on 7-8 shooting and Justina Udenze went 6-6 from the field to add 12 points for Central Connecticut State in the loss.
A 12-2 spurt to start the game gave the Highlanders an early lead out of the gates, but Oglesby and Udenze combined to shoot 10-11 and totaled 10 points each in the first half to lead Central Connecticut State back. The Blue Devils took a 34-29 advantage into the half.
NJIT came out in the second half energized though, and retook the lead 47-46 at the 13:30 mark. The Blue Devils tried to halt the Highlander comeback with a 10-2 run, pulling back into the lead at 56-49, but NJIT came back again. After regaining the lead off a pair of free throws at 61-60, the Highlanders’ Ivana Seric stole the ensuing inbounds pass and converted a layup to put NJIT up three late in the game.
Central Connecticut battled back to go up one at 64-63, but Seric answered again, nailing a running layup to push the Highlanders back in front. After a defensive stop, Seric drove again and dished to a wide-open Melanie Griffin who hit a three-pointer to give NJIT a 68-64 advantage.
The Blue Devils had one more chance. With the score 68-66, Seric missed two free throws, and Emily Rose got off a three-pointer on the offensive end, but the shot could not find iron and NJIT secured the rebound. One last desperation heave from Central Connecticut State came up short and the Highlanders held on 69-66.